Horizontal support for rotary regenerative heat exchanger

ABSTRACT

A rotor arrangement for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger that is adapted to rotate about a fixed horizontal shaft that extends axially through the rotor. The rotor is comprised of a plurality of independent sectorial segments, each of which is pivotally connected to a cylindrical sleeve which in turn concentrically surrounds the horizontal rotor shaft. Bearing means that support the sleeve for rotation about the horizontal shaft are located in the space between the rotor shaft and the concentric sleeve.

United States Patent [191 Finnemore [11] 3,834,449 [4 Sept. 10, 1974HORIZONTAL SUPPORT FOR ROTARY REGENERATIVE HEAT EXCHANGER [75] Inventor:Harlan E. Finnemore, Wellsville,

[73] Assignee: The Air Preheater Company, Inc., Wellsville, NY. [22]Filed: Apr. 5, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 241,287

[52] U.S. CI 165/7, 165/8, 165/10 [51] Int. Cl. F28d 19/00 [58] Field ofSearch 165/8, 9, 10, 7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,367,403 2/1968 Sawyer etal. 165/7 3,516,482 6/1970 Straniti 165/7 Primary ExaminerAlbert W.Davis, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wayne H. Lang 5 7 ABSTRACT A rotorarrangement for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger that is adapted torotate about a fixed horizontal shaft that extends axially through therotor. The rotor is comprised of a plurality of independent sectorialsegments, each of which is pivotally connected to a cylindrical sleevewhich in turn concentrically surrounds the horizontal rotor shaft.Bearing means that support the sleeve for rotation about the horizontalshaft are located in the space between the rotor shaft and theconcentric sleeve.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures HORIZONTAL SUPPORT FOR ROTARY REGENERATIVEHEAT EXCHANGER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThis invention relates to rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatushaving a cylindrical mass of heat absorbent material that is alternatelycontacted by a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated. The heatabsorbent material is carried in baskets suspended from a central shaftthat rotates between fluids. As the heat absorbent material contacts theheating fluid it absorbs heat therefrom to in turn give it up to thefluid to be heated.

2. Description of Prior Art Baskets containing the heat absorbentmaterial are usually fixed to a rotor post, while the entire assemblycomprising the rotor post and the heat absorbent material is beingslowly rotated about its axis between ducts carrying a heating fluid anda fluid to be heated so as to subject the heat absorbent materialalternately to the fluids flowing through the several ducts.

Inasmuch as the rotor rotates between ducts carrying hot and cool fluidsit is inherently subjected to a cyclic heating and cooling processcausing alternate expansion and contraction of the rotor that effects awarping and twisting of the rotor and the adjacent housing to destroy acritical sealing relationship therebetween. Moreover, as the rotor turnsabout its axis a continuous shifting of thermal stress causes a loss ofstrength to the rotor post and surrounding rotor due to cyclic fatigue.Furthermore, the thermal deformation of the rotor causes a cracking andbreaking of the joints or weldments between differently stressed partsto effect an overall weakening of the heat exchanger and upon occasion,its complete structural failure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rotaryregenerative heat exchanger rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft orsupport beam that remains fixed so that it is not rotated between hotand cool fluids to be subjected to varying temperatures with a resultingdifferential of expansion. Therefore, the heat exchanger of the presentinvention does not alternately expand and contract to break theweldments between welded surfaces or open excessive leakage pathsbetween the relatively movable surfaces, nor is a rotor so constructedsubject to loss of strength through cyclic fatigue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A more complete understanding of myinventiom may be realized by referring to the following descriptionwhich may be reviewed in conjunction with the accopmanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal cross-section of a horizontal rotary regenerativeheat exchanger,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger having afixed horizontal shaft according to my invention, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a rotor liftingarrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing the rotor iscarried on a horizontal support shaft 12 that is fixedly supported ateach end by a stationary support 14. The rotor is comprised of two ormore axially spaced layers of heat absorbent element represented at 16Aand 168. Each of the layers of element is in turn comprised of aplurality of sectorial baskets arranged in lateral juxtaposition andindependently hinged at 20 to a cylindrical sleeve 22 that surrounds thesupport shaft 12.-

The entire rotor is enclosed in a housing 24 having suitable inlets andoutlets whereby a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated may be directedto and through the heat absorbent element carried by the rotor. Therotor is rotated about its axis slowly by a motor 34 that moves thecompartments of heat absorbent element alternately between the heatingfluid and the fluid to be heated in order that heat from the heatingfluid may be transferred to the fluid to be heated through theintermediary of the heat absorbent material.

In accordance with my invention, I position bearing means 42 to supportthe rotor for rotation about the horizontal shaft 12 at opposite ends ofthe rotor intermediate the stationary support shaft 12 and theconcentric cylindrical sleeve 22 so that the support shaft 12 willremain continuously fixed while the concentric sleeve 22 will be able tofreely rotate. Inasmuch as each basket of element carried by the rotoris independently hinged to the cylindrical sleeve 22, it is free tothermally expand, contract or otherwise distort independently from otherbaskets either radailly or axially adja cent whereby the cyclicalthermal or structural stresses generated in one part of the rotor willnot be imparted to the cylindrical sleeve 22, the support shaft 12, orother rotor structure adjacent thereto.

Inasmuch as the horizontal support shaft 12 remains fixed at all times,ducts 42 for lubricating oil may be readily directed through the coredcentral position thereof. Accordingly, clean oil is supplied to theseveral support bearings 42 through the supply duct 44, whilecontaminated oil already used for lubrication of the bearings isexhausted through ducts 46.

A rotor lifting arrangement 52 having a conventional hydraulic cylinder54 with a suitable source of pressure fluid is located at each end ofthe apparatus intermediate the cylindrical sleeve 22 and fixed supportmeansv 44, and said bearings may then be removed for replacement orrepair.

While this invention has been'described with reference to the singleembodiment illustrated in the drawing, it is evident that numerouschanges may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asbeing illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus having a cylindricalcentral shaft forming a duct with ends open to the atmosphere to permitthe flow of ambient air therethrough, fixed support means supportingopposite ends of said shaft, a cylindrical sleeve concentricallysurrounding said shaft in spaced relation to provide an annular spacetherebetween open at opposite ends to the atmosphere, a series ofsector-shaped baskets arranged in lateral juxtaposition around saidsleeve to form a composite rotor, means independently connecting eachbasket to the cylindrical sleeve, a mass of permeable heat absorbentmaterial carried in each of the sector-shaped baskets, a housingsurrounding the rotor having inlet and outlet ports for a heating fluidand a fluid to be heated to permit the axial flow of fluids throughspaced baskets of the rotor, means adapted to rotate the rotor about itshorizontal axis, and bearing means in the annular space between thecylindrical sleeve and the central shaft adapted to support thecylindrical sleeve for rotation about said shaft.

2. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus mounted on a fixedsupport shaft as defined in claim 1 including a lifting meansintermediate the cylindrical sleeve and the fixed support means adaptedto lift the sleeve and surrounding mass of heat absorbent materialradially relative to the support shaft whereby the baskets of heatexchange material are entirely supported on the lifting means.

3. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus mounted on a horizontalsupport shaft as defined in claim 1 wherein lubrication ducts for saidbearings lie longitudinally in said shaft and extend radially throughthe shaft to the surrounding bearings.

4. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus mounted on a horizontalsupport shaft as defined in claim 1 wherein each basket of heatabsorbent material is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sleeve.

5. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defined in claim 1wherein the sector-shaped baskets of heat exchange material lie inaxially spaced layers.

1. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus having a cylindricalcentral shaft forming a duct with ends open to the atmosphere to permitthe flow of ambient air therethrough, fixed support means supportingopposite ends of said shaft, a cylindrical sleeve concentricallysurrounding said shaft in spaced relation to provide an annular spacetherebetween open at opposite ends to the atmosphere, a series ofsector-shaped baskets arranged in lateral juxtaposition around saidsleeve to form a composite rotor, means independently connecting eachbasket to the cylindrical sleeve, a mass of permeable heat absorbentmaterial carried in each of the sector-shaped baskets, a housingsurrounding the rotor having inlet and outlet ports for a heating fluidand a fluid to be heated to permit the axial flow of fluids throughspaced baskets of the rotor, means adapted to rotate the rotor about itshorizontal axis, and bearing means in the annular space between thecylindrical sleeve and the central shaft adapted to support thEcylindrical sleeve for rotation about said shaft.
 2. Rotary regenerativeheat exchange apparatus mounted on a fixed support shaft as defined inclaim 1 including a lifting means intermediate the cylindrical sleeveand the fixed support means adapted to lift the sleeve and surroundingmass of heat absorbent material radially relative to the support shaftwhereby the baskets of heat exchange material are entirely supported onthe lifting means.
 3. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatusmounted on a horizontal support shaft as defined in claim 1 whereinlubrication ducts for said bearings lie longitudinally in said shaft andextend radially through the shaft to the surrounding bearings.
 4. Rotaryregenerative heat exchange apparatus mounted on a horizontal supportshaft as defined in claim 1 wherein each basket of heat absorbentmaterial is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sleeve.
 5. Rotaryregenerative heat exchange apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein thesector-shaped baskets of heat exchange material lie in axially spacedlayers.